How to Plan a Train Theme Vacation in California

The state of California is the perfect place for a train enthusiast to plan a train theme vacation. Beautiful weather, incredibly scenery and fantastic train destinations are all within reach in the Golden State. So pack your train whistle and engineer’s cap and plan your own train theme vacation in California.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Computer
• Printer
• Car

1. Plan to start your vacation in sunny San Diego, home to the Model Railroad Museum in the famous Balboa Park. This fantastic museum features miniature versions of California railroads and an interactive toy train gallery for kids.
2. Head north and stop in Costa Mesa to visit Goat Hill Junction in Fairview Park. Orange County Model Engineers offer 15 to 20 minute train trips where you’ll travel over 20,000 feet of track.
3. Make Anaheim your next stop, where you’ll want to visit Disneyland to take a ride on the Disneyland Railroad. This narrow gauge railroad was inaugurated on Disneyland’s opening day back in 1955 and has remained one of the parks most popular attractions. These steam-powered trains take a “grand circle tour” around the park, making stops at the New Orleans Square, Toontown, Tomorrowland and Main Street stations.
4. Plan your next stop to be Pomona for a visit to the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, where you’ll find the Southern California Chapter of the Railway and Locomotive Historical Society. Founded in 1921, it’s the oldest organization in North America devoted to railroad history. Exhibits include the former Santa Fe Depot from Arcadia, California, historic photos and a number of locomotives and rail cars.
5. Head into Los Angeles for a stop at Griffith Park, where you’ll want to visit the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum. Here, you can ride model trains, tour train cars, check out the stationary steam plant and take a tour of the Disney Barn. The Disney Barn is the actual barn that was in Walt Disney’s backyard and was home to his home railroad, the Carolwood Pacific Railroad.
6. Plan to make the San Francisco Bay Area your next destination. Point Richmond is home to the Golden State Model Railroad Museum, which features 10,000 square feet of O, HO and N-scale model railroading.
7. Take a trip over to the Napa Valley for a gourmet dinner and wine tasting on the Napa Valley Wine Train and a stop at Sonoma’s Traintown for a trip on a scale-model train.
8. Make the Central Valley your next destination for a trip on the Sierra Railroad Dinner Train. Your trip begins in Oakdale, where you board the train and enjoy a tasty meal, beautiful scenery and entertainment.
9. Plan to make Sacramento your next destination, where you can pay a visit to the California State Railroad Museum. This fantastic museum features historic exhibits, restored railcars and incredible locomotives. Take a short walk through historic Old Sacramento, where the museum is located, and take a ride on a genuine steam train (weekends only, April through September).
10. Take a slight detour out of Sacramento and head to Woodland for a trip on the Sacramento RiverTrain. The 32-mile trip features dinner and entertainment and lasts 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours.
11. Plan to continue north with a stop at Jamestown’s Railtown 1897 State Historic Park. Many of the historic locomotives and cars have starred in feature films, and you’ll even one of America’s last operating railroad roundhouses.
12. Continue your trip north with a stop in Nevada City to see the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum. You’ll find exhibits on local transportation history, the narrow-gauge railroad era, a railyard and restoration shop.
13. Make Fort Bragg the last stop on your trip. Plan to take a trip on the Skunk Train, which runs a 40-mile trip through majestic forests, across 30 bridges and trestles and through two mountain tunnels.
14. Go online, map out each destination in order, book nearby hotels then hit the road to enjoy your train theme vacation.